Sample Submission

Preparation

To ensure proper fixation and processing, tissue samples must be cut into pieces no larger than 1 mm on a side before fixation. We strongly recommend you use a ruler to be sure your pieces are small enough. We do not guarantee good results from tissue fixed in chunks larger than 1 mm on a side.

If the pieces are too large, we will charge extra for having us cut them down to an appropriate size.

We are not responsible for the quality of your results if you process your own samples.

Fixation

We are not responsible for the harvest or fixation of your samples. We will provide a protocol and advice regarding the proper procedures.

For best results, we prefer to provide you with freshly made perfusion and fixation solutions for tissue samples. We are not responsible for unsatisfactory results caused by poor fixation if you make your own fixative or if you let fixative sit in the refrigerator for an extended time before harvesting your tissue.

Sample Completion Time

The turn around time for your samples will be determined by the number of samples and the workload of the facility, as well as any special requirements you have (such as precise sample orientation or non-standard protocols). Our average turn around time currently is 6-8 weeks for 6 blocks/samples. To minimize your turn around time, you should notify us at least 3 days before you submit your samples. Samples submitted from Monday to early Wednesday will be processed within the same week. Samples submitted after Wednesday will be processed in the following week.

Run Size

For TEM, we can only process (embedding, cutting, staining, QA) up to 6 samples within our standard 6–8 week timeline. However, the exact capacity depends on the sample type and may sometimes be lower. In certain cases, it is possible to embed more than 6 samples at the same time, but only 6 samples can be advanced to the subsequent stages. If you may submit more samples, but they will be divided into two or more runs. 

Documentation of Samples

A completed sample manifest must be emailed to EMCF staff before your samples are submitted. The sample manifest must contain notes to indicate which samples are controls. (We strongly recommend a positive and a negative control for all experiments.) The more information you provide, the easier it will be for us to evaluate and troubleshoot any problems that may arise in the processing of your samples.

Samples should be labeled with descriptive text that matches the sample names in the sample manifest. Please date all samples.

Non-Standard Protocols

We will work with you to implement non-standard protocols. However, we do not have the resources for extensive experimentation and troubleshooting, and we cannot guarantee the results. We reserve the right to recover our expenses in materials and labor when implementing a non-standard protocol, regardless of the quality of the results.

Due to limited storage space we cannot store user samples. All samples, including blocks and grids will be given to the users upon completion of a project.